


Innocence Lost

by WhiteRosella



Series: Gleeful Saga [1]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Gen, Multi, Other, Reverse Falls AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 11:05:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13293513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteRosella/pseuds/WhiteRosella
Summary: "A young outcast will often feel that there is something wrong with himself, but as he gets older, grows more confident in who he is, he will adapt, he will begin to feel that there is something wrong with everyone else."---------------{Second instalment in the Gleeful family interactions}Mason Gleeful is an unruly and troubling child, constantly causing arguments and getting into fights the young heir is nothing but an inconvenient problem from the moment he arrived at Gleeful manor to the family.However under his anger and brattish behaviour Mason is not dealing with the death of his parents, the grief pushing him further and further into himself, he is isolated and alone and secludes himself away from the family in an attempt to disappear.Sometimes though we are never truly alone and all it takes is for someone to come and light the way once more, though sometimes light can stem from darkness...(Mason Gleeful x Fiddleford McGucket interactions - NOT SHIPPING. Warnings for: hurt, comfort, angst)





	Innocence Lost

Gleeful manor had many rooms, all of them cold empty airy spaces that had been little graced with any soul in a long time; the library though visited frequently to attain books by Stanford Gleeful but only to be left in silence once more was one of these places and this was the place that the young heir liked to stow away and hide in the most.

Mason Gleeful sat shielded by the thick heavy blue drapes that hung in front of the window seat; he sat huddled amongst an array of rich cushions with a blanket around him and over his head pulling it down every now and then over his birthmark when it began to slip back as he flicked through the pages of one of the many books stacked in front of him.

Another day had gone by, another argument, another scolding from the Gleeful elders and he had slunk out of sight once more for solitude in the grand library, out of sight and out of mind. Forgotten once more and alone.

The death of Mason's parents had affected the young boy greatly and though the others could not quite understand his volatile nature and disruptive behaviour the child was not dealing with his grief, he could not control all the emotions that were raging within him, the only way he could react was with anger, lashing out at everyone in his path until he was reprimanded over and over finally disappearing from sight to hide himself away.

Mason had a quiet child in the past, not overly talkative, he'd always been happy alone to his own devices but the loneliness he now felt was painful, it was an unwanted loneliness instead. Flicking through the pages and scanning the words at an incredibly fast rate for a child of his age, Mason took in everything he read, storing the information in his photographic memory; no one quite knew how incredibly intelligent Mason was, no on really cared to know but if they had even taken the slightest interest they would have realised that they had a prodigal genius on their hands.

The door to the library opened and Mason shrunk back against the wall quietly putting his hand over his mouth and pulling the cover over his head fearing it was one of the elders of the family ready to give him another scolding; he waited patiently and unnervingly still until he saw the intruder to his solitude come into view, it was the 'help' and he was carrying a stack of books which he placed on the table in the centre of the room before adjusting his glasses and giving a heavy sigh picking up the first book and looking about for its place.

One of Fiddleford's regular tasks was to return the books that Stanford used from the library, it was annoying that Stanford could come pick what he wanted and then leave the mess for Fiddleford to clean up after but he didn't mind so much, he'd spent a lot of time in this library in the past and finding the exact location of where the books belonged wasn't hard, he knew this room like the back of his hand.

Mason watched his uncle's assistant with anxiety, he'd never really had much interaction with the man at all but he knew that he had somewhat of a reputation for being dangerous at times; Mason had seen the man at the Gleeful parties in the past lingering at the side of the room watching the guests with a skeptical look and more than once he was sure that he'd seen the man withdraw some sort of glinting object from his pocket and play with it idly if the parties became too rowdy.

Fiddleford placed several books back in their places and made his way back to the centre table, he was about to pick up the last few when his keen hearing picked up on a slight noise and suddenly he was alert, he looked up and scanned the room until his eyes noted the very light movement of the window curtains and he immediately sunk his hand into his pocket and pulled out the switchblade flicking it open. All Gleefuls were accounted for, Mabel was with Stanley, Mason was grounded in his room, Ma and Filbrick were now out for the afternoon and he'd just left Stanford in the study; there was an intruder in the house. Without much stealth Fiddleford made his way slowly over to the window his footsteps heavy on purpose to instil dread to whom ever dared to conceal themself behind those curtains.

Mason held his breath as he heard the footsteps coming closer but it was no good, he knew that he'd been spotted and in a rash decision he hurled the curtain back and jumped out in front of his uncles assistant with a defiant look swinging the book he'd been reading previously to lash out at him; if that man wanted a fight then he would certainly give him one.

"Back off old man!" Mason shouted swinging the book back and forth gripping on to it tightly, "Get away from me!"

Fiddleford halted in his tracks as he watched his 'intruder' emerge from their hiding place and begin to form some sort of feeble attack with a copy of 'To Rule the Night: The Discovery Voyage'. Taking a step back at each swing he quickly shut the switchblade away and waited for the child to ware himself out but the think was an unstoppable force once it got going and Fiddleford became irritated and quickly snatched the book out of the child's hands so that it was left defenceless.

"Calm yourself down you damned brat!" Fiddleford said in a forceful tone and he watched the child shrink back away from him with a bitter resentful deadly look in its eyes; if looks could kill Fiddleford would surely be dead right now.

Mason glared up at the man before him and felt the intense rage building up in him again, "How dare you speak to me like that!" Mason glowered almost hissing through gritted teeth, "I'll tell my family how you spoke to me!" Mason threatened, he was so bitter that this man had interrupted his silence and then dared to speak to him in such a way when he wasn't even part of this family. "I hate you!" Mason lunged at the man trying to tug the book free from his grasp, "Give it back! I want it back! I want it now." He shouted kicking Fiddleford in the shin so that man yelped and let the book free.

Fiddleford lost his balance, as did the child and they both fell in opposite directions onto the rich rug partially covering the wax wooden floor. Fiddleford was angry, this child was becoming such an unnecessary nuisance in this house, all the time he would hear it arguing with whomever it had decided to pick a fight with that day and so many times he'd had to pick Mabel up and take her out of the room wailing to tend to some injury. Fiddleford had had enough of this behaviour, locking the child in his room was not good enough, the child needed a good hiding!

Getting to his feet Fiddleford took a deep breath, he knew that he would undoubtedly get in trouble for this but he couldn't let it continue; he was about to move forward and take the young heir by his arm when he stopped and his anger quickly subsided, the boy Mason was crying huddling the book in his arms. Fiddleford had never seen the child cry before, only had he ever seen him lashing out or shouting; the child wasn't bawling loudly he was just sobbing uncontrollably trying to flatten his fringe over his forehead and rocking backwards and forwards.

Fiddleford felt incredibly remorseful and awkward, it was easy for him to console Mabel when she was upset but this was all too close to home for Fiddleford watching a young boy cry before him, he mind quickly brought Tate to the forefront of his thoughts and he felt so insanely guilty, this could be his own son crying back home got all he knew. Fiddleford had to pull himself together, he couldn't let his own demons get the better of him right now, he had a duty to this family.

"Mason." Fiddleford said in a serious tone but he child continued to sob and ignore him, "Mason..." Fiddleford said in a drawn out fashion crouching down to the child's level.

"Get...away..." Mason sniffed between sobs angrily.

Fiddleford rubbed a hand over his forehead in this stressful situation, he had to try another approach, being severe with the child had shown not to work from what he had already seen in the boys interaction with the others so his intelligent mind quickly picked a new path, "I do hope we haven't ripped one of my favourite books." Fiddleford watched as the child quickly glanced up at him and back down, there is was, his way to break him out of this mess, "Because it's a very good book and I do enjoy readin' that from time to time."

Mason wiped his cheeks with his sleeve and started to pay particular attention to the book he was holding, scanning over it to make sure there was no damage, luckily there wasn't, "I didn't...rip...it." He said looking up at his uncles assistant and other a mixture of wariness and apology in his eyes.

"Mind if I take a look?" Fiddleford said calmly looking over his glasses and holding out his hand slowly watching the child wince a little, "I'm not going to hurt you Mason." He assured the child but the young heir did not move and merely looked at him with tears still rolling down his cheeks with he rubbed away angrily.

"Okay." Fiddleford said getting to his feet and walking to the table picking up the last few books, Fiddleford was about to start putting them away when he heard shuffling behind him and he turned to see the young boy on his feet chewing on his lip with the book outstretched in his hand. "You keep that one, I've got plenty of other favourites anyways." Fiddleford said with a slight smirk.

"You have?" Mason uttered rubbing the last few drops off his face and tucking the book under his arm.

Fiddleford knew he had the child's interest now, like his sister the boy had a keen mind, more so if he was honest but in a completely different way. Fiddleford had spotted the stacks of books on the window seat and previously, though he thought his mind was truly going, he'd noticed volumes out of place in the library on several occasions, so this is where he'd been hiding when they couldn't find him. "You have no idea how many of these books I've read." Fiddleford said cocking an eyebrow at the boy before he headed off to put the last few away but he heard footsteps following him after a short time.

"I didn't know you liked reading." Mason said with a newfound interest in the man.

"I'm a scientist, of course I like to read." Fiddleford said putting the books away swiftly and turning to the young boy who's eyes had widened.

"Really?" Mason said with enthusiasm, "I didn't know that. I want to be a scientist. I like stars."

"Seems there's a lot we don't know about each other." Fiddleford chuckled adjusting his glasses, "So you want to be an astronomer...and why would that be?" Fiddleford asked and he watched the child flatten his fringe over his forehead quickly. So the child was anxious about his birthmark, he was abrupt and arrogant and he was solitary as well...this was all very familiar indeed but he knew how he'd gotten around this situation before.

"I'm sure you'd make a fine astronomer Mason." Fiddleford said taking his glasses off and wiping the bookshelf dust on his sleeve before putting them back on, "After all it looks like you were destined for it, see you got Ursa Major right there guiding you." Fiddleford pointed to his birthmark without any trace of disgust, which he assumed the child had been pointed out as freakish before.

"Guiding me?" Mason said lowering his hand after finding that he was not going to get ridiculed for his horrible mark like he had so many times in the past.

"Thats right." Fiddleford nodded, "That constellation means 'Great Bear' and one day I'm sure you'll live up to that reputation when you inherit this grand place." Fiddleford saw the child smile for the first time he'd ever done since arriving here and continued, "You have to make sure you're strong Mason, make sure you carry on reading all these books and wear that mark with pride." Fiddleford saw the child's smile grow even wider, it was clear that praise lifted he child's spirits thought little did he know it was doing something completely different, it was boosting an ego and though it was an apparent at this early stage it would continue to grow until it consumed the child.

The child looked up at the man before him with new interest in their eyes, maybe they could learn something from this man, maybe they could be the Great Bear, there was some hope and possibility now, the road ahead did not seem as dark as they had previously thought. The boy strayed a hand up to his head slowly and brushed his fringe aside showing off the birthmark on his forehead and looking a little anxious.

"Much better." Fiddleford grinned, "Why you're already givin' me that regal vibe."

Mason felt something in him swell inside him and he liked that feeling, he'd never had much praise in the past and during his time here at the manor he'd been nothing but scolded and told off but now he had to be different, if he was to become a great scientist and an heir to this grand place he would have to work hard and do whatever he must to get it...in any way he could.

"Will you teach me?" Mason said holding out the book in his hands, "Can you teach me to be great?"

Fiddleford laughed loudly all at the child's words but watched the child withdraw again and he stopped and cleared his throat, "I'm sorry Mason, you're asking he wrong person...I do like the stars but my forte is mechanics."

"Oh I see." Mason said with his head dropping down to the book in his hands.

"However," Fiddleford paused thinking for a moment whether this would be plausible seen as though the man didn't like company at the best of times, "Your uncle might be the better one to approach on this..."

"Uncle Ford?" Mason said with renewed interest.

Fiddleford didn't know if this was a good idea at all, Stanford liked his solitude more than anyone else and this child had shown volatility and similar traits to his partner, it could be disastrous...but it was worth a shot, it might even give Fiddleford a little break every now and again, "Mason I'll ask your uncle to consider taking you as an apprentice under certain conditions." Fiddleford said stressing the words and watching the child wait eagerly and patiently. "No more fighting. No more shouting. No more wreaking havoc around here..." Fiddleford watched the child as it's mind work and the boys eyes darted around, he wondered what was going on in that mind but then the child spoke.

"Okay, I promise." Mason said nodding and looking sure about himself.

There was an eerie silence in the room as they both regarded each other with interest, Fiddleford's mind working over how he was going to approach Stanford on this situation and already hearing the man's reluctant angry words resounding in his mind whilst the child pored over the thoughts that he was heir, that one day all of this would be his, that now he had purpose and meaning, something to attain which he'd never had before.

"Then we got ourself a deal." Fiddleford said holding out his hand; he watched as the boy hesitated but then smiled with a confidence and took the man's hand and they shook.

As Fiddleford made his way from the library and walked down the long dark corridors to the study and back to Stanford he had no idea just how much his words had affected the young boy who remained behind amidst the vast wealth of knowledge, he had no idea that even now the boy who stood there in front of the family portrait hanging on the wall was already getting having feelings of grandeur, he had no idea that he had unleashed a terrible pride and envy that would one day lead to a threat on his partners life.


End file.
